Tuesday, December 27, 2005 at 1:01am
If holiday stress gets you down, consider the stress of the first Christmas.
There are several words that go with "holiday": holiday cheer, holiday travel, and holiday food. But perhaps the most familiar term that comes with holiday is stress. holiday stress — from the long drives and flights in which we realize we have forgotten something — to the extended periods of quality time spent with family in tight enclosed areas most people experience a few choice feelings at holiday time. Feelings such as wanting to throttle someone, wanting to run in any one direction for as long as your legs can carry you or simply curling up in the fetal position praying for it all to end, are some of the many varied feelings some people have. But stress is nothing new to the holiday season.
In the first few chapters of the Gospels we get several sin sights into what the first Christmas season was like. From the get-go a 14 year old girl named Mary is startled by an angel — and if that wasn't terrifying enough — she is told she is going to give birth to the Messiah. She hasn't given birth before and she's a virgin so naturally she asks some questions and the only response is that the Holy Spirit will "come upon you." That could be a little stressful — especially because they have no counseling or books for virgin mothers.
Then there is the marital stress that occurs when Joseph finds out Mary is pregnant and it nearly results in a divorce until an angel gives him a debriefing. Following all that a census is taken requiring Joseph and Mary to travel — now very pregnant — to Bethlehem. Holiday Travel stress — and I know this because I have traveled long distances with my wife and mother in the same car with nobody pregnant and I nearly went off the road to end it all.
Third you have to consider the fact that the birth took place in a stable with no nurses or extended family — just straw and smelly animals. Not the most sanitary conditions. Finally after the wise men come a decree is issued by Herod to kill all male children age two and under and the little family that we always portray so peacefully in the nativity is forced to flee. An angel visits Joseph early in the morning and he is forced to wake mother and baby and saddle 'em up to go to Egypt. After Herod dies they head back — but then someone else murderous is in power and once again Joseph is awakened by an angel for a detour. I can't help but wonder if after all the back and forth he grumbled, "Ugh, just five more minutes..."
But eventually they do make it the Nazareth despite all the stress and inconveniences and we know that story ends with Jesus completing His earthly mission and ascending to heaven to intercede on our behalf; and there are two principles that helped this family stay together. The first one is that they always put Christ first. In a holiday season plagued with commercialism and stress its easy to lose focus on what we are actually celebrating. And secondly, the family was willing to be inconvenienced for each other. They took all kindsof detours and had to stay in some undesirable places — but they did it because they loved each other.
As you wrap up the holiday season and hopefully enjoy it more than you stress over it — remember to focus on Christ first before all the other holiday hubbub; and to let yourself be inconvenienced once and awhile for the good of the family. The Bible tells us that when we seek first God's kingdom we will have "all things added to us." Just as God blessed the little holy family God can continue to bless us in our families as we follow the example set down for us in the first stressful holiday season.
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Seth Pierce is the author of Pride and Seek, published by Review and Herald Publishing Association. He is currently working on a seminary degree at Andrews University as well as other writing projects. His email is {email pastorpierce@hotmail.com}pastorpierce@hotmail.com{/email}.© copyright 2005 by Seth Pierce.
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UPI Religion & Spirituality Forum is a big tent for all expressions
of faith and spirituality, neither excluding nor favoring any.
All opinions expressed belong to the writer alone, and are
not necessarily shared by UPI Religion & Spirituality Forum.
In the first few chapters of the Gospels we get several sin sights into what the first Christmas season was like. From the get-go a 14 year old girl named Mary is startled by an angel — and if that wasn't terrifying enough — she is told she is going to give birth to the Messiah. She hasn't given birth before and she's a virgin so naturally she asks some questions and the only response is that the Holy Spirit will "come upon you." That could be a little stressful — especially because they have no counseling or books for virgin mothers.
Then there is the marital stress that occurs when Joseph finds out Mary is pregnant and it nearly results in a divorce until an angel gives him a debriefing. Following all that a census is taken requiring Joseph and Mary to travel — now very pregnant — to Bethlehem. Holiday Travel stress — and I know this because I have traveled long distances with my wife and mother in the same car with nobody pregnant and I nearly went off the road to end it all.
Third you have to consider the fact that the birth took place in a stable with no nurses or extended family — just straw and smelly animals. Not the most sanitary conditions. Finally after the wise men come a decree is issued by Herod to kill all male children age two and under and the little family that we always portray so peacefully in the nativity is forced to flee. An angel visits Joseph early in the morning and he is forced to wake mother and baby and saddle 'em up to go to Egypt. After Herod dies they head back — but then someone else murderous is in power and once again Joseph is awakened by an angel for a detour. I can't help but wonder if after all the back and forth he grumbled, "Ugh, just five more minutes..."
But eventually they do make it the Nazareth despite all the stress and inconveniences and we know that story ends with Jesus completing His earthly mission and ascending to heaven to intercede on our behalf; and there are two principles that helped this family stay together. The first one is that they always put Christ first. In a holiday season plagued with commercialism and stress its easy to lose focus on what we are actually celebrating. And secondly, the family was willing to be inconvenienced for each other. They took all kindsof detours and had to stay in some undesirable places — but they did it because they loved each other.
As you wrap up the holiday season and hopefully enjoy it more than you stress over it — remember to focus on Christ first before all the other holiday hubbub; and to let yourself be inconvenienced once and awhile for the good of the family. The Bible tells us that when we seek first God's kingdom we will have "all things added to us." Just as God blessed the little holy family God can continue to bless us in our families as we follow the example set down for us in the first stressful holiday season.
———
Seth Pierce is the author of Pride and Seek, published by Review and Herald Publishing Association. He is currently working on a seminary degree at Andrews University as well as other writing projects. His email is {email pastorpierce@hotmail.com}pastorpierce@hotmail.com{/email}.© copyright 2005 by Seth Pierce.
UPI Religion & Spirituality Forum is a big tent for all expressions
of faith and spirituality, neither excluding nor favoring any.
All opinions expressed belong to the writer alone, and are
not necessarily shared by UPI Religion & Spirituality Forum.